Hat cleaning tool



Jan. 18,l938. w L. c. SMITH. I 2,106,069

HAT CLEANING TOOL Filed July 19, 1935 ll extending partially into this flange.

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATE rarest caries HAT CLEANING TOOL application July 19, 1935, Serial No. 32,216

5 Claims.

My invention relates to the class of devices that are employed for removing extraneous material from hat bodies during the process of manufacture, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a tool of this type which shall be particularly effective in operation and which may be readily manipulated.

One form of a tool embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side view of my improved hat cleaning tool.

Figure 2 is a similar view but looking from a point at right angles to the point of view of Fig. 1 and illustrating a hat body mounted upon the tool.

Figure 3 is a top view of the tool.

Figure 4 is a view in central vertical section through the tool showing a hat blank mounted thereon.

Figure 5 is an isometric perspective view of my improved tool, the teeth in the slotted plate being omitted.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the same illustrating a hat blank thereon.

Figure 7 is a detail view of a portion of the guide plate.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 8 denotes the base of my improved cleaning tool and 9 the crown thereof which may be secured to the base in any suitable manner. The base has a chamber ID with a slot Ii opening therefrom into a chamber 12 in the crown 9, said chamber having a slot 13 opening therefrom to the surface of the tool. The chamber W is closed by a closing plate l4 secured to the bottom of the base in any suitable manner and having a nipple l5 projecting therefrom for the attachment of a hose or similar device by means of which a partial vacuum is created within the chamber Ill. The base has a segmental flange 16 on one side thereof, the chamber Ill and slot A guide block "is secured in a recess in the flange and has a guide groove 18 for the reception of a slide valve I9. A slotted plate ZDpartially closes the slots 13 and II, this plate extending from the tip of the crown downwardly along the base and flange thereof, the lower end of said plate being secured in any suitable manner to the guide block IT. This plate forms the guide groove 18 into a groove T-shaped in cross section, a tongue 2| on the valve 19 projecting into the slot in the plate. A spring pressed plunger 22 in a socket 23 projecting from the bottom of the block ll is employed to create a slight frictional pressure against the valve IE to retain it in any position in which it may be moved, this valve being for the purpose of shortening the effective length of the slot in the plate 20 to accommodate hat blanks of varying sizes.

In operation a hat blank 24 is placed upon the crown 9, this crown being in the shape of a hat block and a partial vacuum being created in the chambers l0 and I2 and. the hat blank being rotated on the crown all of the extraneous material upon the inner face of the hat blank is removed, and this blank being turned inside out the same operation will remove the extraneous material from the other side of the blank. To render this operation efiectivc to a maximum extent teeth 25 are formed on one edge of the plate 20, and the slot in the plate is offset as at 26 at its inner end to ensure removal of all of the extraneous material at the crown of the hat blank.

As a convenient means for operation the tool being mounted as on a bench 21 a valve 28 in an air supply pipe 29 connected with the nipple I5 is operated as by means of a foot pedal 30, and as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. This enables the operator to conveniently control the suction within the block as may be desired.

In accordance with the provisions of the pat ent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A hat blank cleaning tool comprising a crown of the general shape of a hat block and having a slot opening inwardly from the outer surface of said crown to a chamber therein, said slot permitting access to substantially the entire surface of said blank when slid on said crown, a valve to regulate the length of said slot, and means for attachment of a hose or similar device for creating a partial vacuum within said chamber.

2. A hat blank cleaning tool comprising a crown of the general shape of a hat block, said crown having a chamber with a slot opening there out of to the surface of the crown, a guide block secured to the tool at the base of the crown, a slotted plate overlying the slot in the crown and having its lower end secured to said guide block, a valve slidably mounted in said guide block to regulate the length of the slot in said plate, and means for attachment of a hose or similar device for creating a partial vacuum within said chamber.

3. A hat blank cleaning tool comprising a crown of the general shape of a hat block, said crown having a chamber with a slot opening there out of, a sliding valve to regulate the length of said slot, means for creating a frictional pressure against said valve to maintain it in different positions, and means for attachment of a hose or similar device for creating a partial vacuum within said chamber.

4. A hat blank cleaning tool comprising a crown of the general shape of a hat block, said crown having a slot opening inwardly from the outer surface thereof to a chamber therein, a slotted plate overlying the slot in the crown and having a toothed edge, and means for attachment of a hose or similar device for creating a is partial vacuum within said chamber.

LESTER C. SMITH. 

